In her third event since returning from a medical, American Caroline Inglis fired a bogey-free, 4-under 68 that put her in the mix early at the FREED GROUP Women's Scottish Open presented by Trust Golf. The 29-year-old made two birdies on both the front and back nines to post the 68 and tie her second-lowest round of the season. A solid round can undoubtedly put your game into perspective, especially after an extended period away, and that fact isn’t lost on Inglis, having just come back from injury.
"It's been interesting coming back to try to get into the swing of it. It's nice to see the work pay off and see the game moving (in) the right direction. I just want to keep building on it and doing what I'm doing,” said Inglis, whose last round in the 60s was in April during the first round of the JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro. “I just came back at Dow (Great Lakes Bay Invitational). It was my mid-back rib area. It started bothering me at the end of the West Coast Swing, like Jersey, and during Vegas. I knew I needed to take some time off.
"It was pretty awful. I had to take a medical for lower back surgery in 2019, so I know what it's like, but it's awful going through it. You feel left out and left behind, seeing all of your friends play and all that. It's not fun to be in pain. It's just being patient until you're completely healed, and you can come back. Thankfully, I only had to miss six events or so, and it was a couple of months. It was after my two-week pity party at home, feeling sorry for myself that I was hurt, and then it was nice to spend time with my husband and see everyone, and then I was finally able to start slowly practicing again. It was good.”
During the first round, Inglis hit 12 of 14 fairways and 16 of 18 greens, with 31 putts to card four birdies. Inglis credits her success in Scotland to being creative and picking conservative targets.
"I think Scottish golf is always interesting because you have to get really creative with the wind, and I tried to pick conservative targets and make decisive swings at them," said Inglis. "And then made a few putts, which is nice. I was talking with my caddie, I had a lot of lag putts today, and speed was like a little off but was able to make a lot of the comebackers, so that was nice."
While this is the first time Inglis has teed it up at Dundonald Links, having not played in the event in 2022, it's not her first experience with links-style golf. She has played in three editions of the FREED GROUP Women’s Scottish Open, earning a best finish of T39 in 2020. So knowing what to expect, Inglis was prepared for the adjustments she’d need to make coming from France and The Amundi Evian Championship to wet, cold and windy Ayrshire, Scotland.
"It's really different. I've played a lot of Scottish golf, links golf. I've always felt comfortable out here. Preparation is adjusting to the green speed because they are pretty slow and then hitting a lot of short game shots. The bunkers are pretty different here. I feel like I putt more from off the green here just because you can, and then just a lot of flighted, low shots."
This is only Inglis’ 10th start this season and the Oregon native sits in a share of third heading into the second round. The top three finishers this week not otherwise qualified will earn a spot in the AIG Women’s Open, the fifth and final major of the 2023 season, and Inglis knows what she’s got to do to tee it up at Walton Heath Golf Club. But the seven-year LPGA Tour veteran also knows not to get ahead of herself with 54 holes to play.
"I'm aware of it. I'm aware I'm not in (the AIG Women’s Open),” said Inglis, who has only played in the major twice. “I definitely know that there are three spots, but honestly, with the way this year has taught me, you never know what's going to happen. I'm just trying to play. I know it's cliché, but one shot at a time and one round at a time. If that's the way it works out, great. If I have to go to Monday (qualifying), great. It is what it is."
And while a strong showing this week is certainly weighing on her mind, Inglis will continue to take each day as it comes. "I think I just do the same exact things," said Inglis. "There are a few things I want to go work on, practice, get some rest, and literally, same process, same thing. No reason to change anything."
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